A man who admitted to breaking into a Campbell Avenue apartment was sentenced Wednesday to five years in prison.
Christopher J. Stover, 21, pleaded guilty in January to one count of second-degree burglary, a felony.
He was arrested in April 2011, accused of breaking into the apartment, threatening the residents and choking one with a lamp cord to the point of unconsciousness.
Stover was accused of targeting his stepfather, threatening to kill him, according to papers filed at his arrest.
Schenectady County Court Judge Karen Drago also imposed a full stay-away order of protection in favor of two people who were inside the residence to run eight years past Stover’s prison sentence, for a total of 13 years. Drago also ordered mental health screening for him in prison, noting past issues.
Stover was represented in court by attorney Kent Gebert. Stover declined to give a statement in court, and neither of his victims were present.
Gebert said later the original offer from prosecutors was four years, but Drago rejected that and wouldn’t agree to less than five years.
Gebert called it a good result considering the allegations.
Stover kicked in the front screen door and pushed his way into the apartment, according to court papers. In the process of fighting with his 55-year-old stepfather, Stover is accused of ripping the cord from a lamp and wrapping it around his hands. Stover then used the cord to choke the man into unconsciousness.
Stover is also accused of punching and kicking the victim and hitting him with the lamp about eight times.
The victim was taken to Ellis Hospital with cuts, bruising, swelling and pain. Several stitches were required to close a cut on his head, according to papers.
Stover was arrested a short time after the incident at Guilderland and Helderberg avenues.
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